Knockdown pedestal table



Dec. 23, 1924. 1,520,520

W. S. THOMASON KNOCK DOWN PEDES TAL TABLE Filed Dec. 24, 1923 514001447010 W S.Tbomason Patented lj ec. 23, i924.

WILLIAM S. THOMASON,

insane F NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

KNOCKDOWN PEDESTAL TABLE.

Application filed December 24, 1923. Serial No. 682,429.

To all whom it may, concern:

Be it known that l, WILLL-uvr S. THOMA- soiv. a citizen of the United States, residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and a State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Knockdown Pedestal Tables, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

T his invention relates to tables, and particularly to what are known as pedestal tables such as are used in restaurants and hotels for banquets and the like the table being a knockdown table formed of sections so that the tables may be compactly stacked when not in use.

The general object of the present invention is to provide. means whereby the two end portions of the table supporting frame may be readily connected to each or as read ily disconnected.

A further object of the invention is to provice means of this character so designed that when the sections are connected and the table is in use, there will be no chance of the sections becoming accidentally disconnected from each other; and in this connection it is an object of the invention to provide end frames each including a pair or legs and a s transverse rail, a panel, and a longitudinally extending connecting rail, the connecting rail being detachably engaged with the panels or the end frames in such manner that when the longitudinal rail or brace is oscillated in one direction it will become disconnected from one of the end frames and when oscillated in the other direction will become disconnected from the other end frame, any accidental disconnection of this rail or brace being prevented wh en the table is in use by the weight of the table and the engagement of the table legs with the floor.

Other objects have to do with the details of construction and arrangement or" parts as will appear more fully hereinafter.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of a table constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2' is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the same line as Figure 2 and showing the manner in which a relative tilting oi' the table end frame and the brace or longitudinal rail will secure the detachment oithe rail from the table end;

Figure l is a vertical section through the connecting rail and the panel with which the rail engages;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the opposed slotted plates;

Figure (l is a front elevation of the studcarrying:- strip which is applied to thc longitudinal rail;

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the completed table consists of the end frames 10 and 11, the longitudinal brace 12, and the top 13, the end harass or transverse panels 1%, and legs 1.5. These transverse panels l-i are framed by upper and lower rails, as shown most clearly in Figure i, the panel 14 constituting in effect a relatively wide rail connecting the legs The face of each panel is recessed, as at 16, at two points one above the other, and over the face of the panel or rail l l is disposed a plate 17 of sheet metal or like material which is formed of two keyhole slots 18, these keyhole slots having their narrow portions curved concentrically to a central pivot opening or socket 19 and the narrow portions of the slots extend in op 'iosite directions relative to each other. The longitudinal rail or brace 12, as shown most clearly in Figure 4-, has attached to its ends a metallic strip :20, this strip being angular and being held to the end of the rail by means ot the screws 21 and being provided with out wardly projecting headed studs 22 having heads which are larger in diameter than the width of the narrow portions of the keyhole slots 18. This strip is also provided with a central pivot stud 23 adapted to be received within the socket 19. this socket extending into the wood of the panel or rail 14.

It will be noted from Figure 4: that the stud .43 is slightly longer than the headed studs 22 so that this stud 23 may be inserted in its socket and thus center the member 12 relative to the sockets and permit the easy engagement of the headed studs within the sockets by a mere rotational movement of the member 12 relative to the end section 10.

l/Vith this construction, it is obvious that when it is de-siredto connect one of the end sections to the longitudinal. brace or rail 12 it is only necessary to turn the rail 12 at an angle to the vertical axis of the end section, as illustrated in Figure 3, in.- sert the headed studs 22 into the large portions of the keyhole slots 18, and then relatively turn the end section and the longitudinal rail 12 into a position where the rail 12 is, for instance, vertical and the section is tilted, as shown in Figure 3, and then the end section may be withdrawn from its engagement with the longitudinal rail. The opposite end section 11, as illustrated most clearly in Figure 5, is formed in precisely the same manner the end section 10 and is provided with the same locking plate and both of these plates are disposed with the keyhole slots 18 extending in the same direction. This makes it necessary to oscillate the end sections in opposite directions in order to disconnect the end sections from the longitudinal. rail.

When the table is in use with the four legs resting upon the floor, it is obvious that it is impossible for the longitudinal section 12 to become detached for the reason that it is impossible for the two end sections to oscillate in opposite directions. The table might be lifted at one side or lifted on the opposite side. T o oscillate one end of the table in one direction and the other end of the table in the opposite direction is practically an impossibility unless the table is lifted off the floor. Therefore, the two end sections are locked to the longitudinal member and to each other by means which entirely prevents accidental detachment of the sections. The table top may be attached to the end sections in any suitable manner, such as that illustrated in my pending application for patent filed of even date herewith, Serial #682,426. When the table top is attached to the end sections as, forinstance, by the means illustrated in the pending application before referred to, it is impossible to oscillate either one of the end sections relative to the middle section or oscillate the middle section relative to these end sections without releasing the table top, for the reason that the end sections oscillate in opposite directions. Hence it is absolutely impossible to release the end sections from engagement with the brace or longitudinal section 12 without removing the table top and then oscillating the end secpact, may be cheaply constructed, and afsections and a longitudinally extending brace section, each supporting, section and the adjacent end of the brace section being provided, one with a central socket and a pair of keyhole slots extending approximately concentric to the socket, with the slots of each pair extending in opposite directions, and the other with a central stud adapted to engage in said socket, and headed studs on each side of the central stud and inserted into said keyhole slots and adapted to be locked therein by a rotation of the longitudinal brace in one direction relative to the supporting sections or unlocked therefrom by a rotation of the longitudinal brace in the opposite direcpair of headed studs at each end adapted to be engaged in said keyhole slots, a relative oscillation of the connecting member in one direction locking the headed studs in the slots and an oscillation in the opposite direction unlocking the headed studs from the slots.

A table. of the character described comprising end supporting frames, each. consisting of a pair of legs and a transverse rail, each rail being formed with a centrally disposed socket and a pair of recesses diametrically disposed, a plate attached to; the inside face of each rail and having a central. socket and keyhole slots registering with said recesses, and a longitudinally extending railadapted to detachably connect the two end sections, each rail upon its under face having a plate attached thereto, the plate being provided with a centrally projecting stud engageable in the central socket of the rail and with a pair of headed studs adapted to engage in said keyhole slots, the keyhole slots on one supporting frame being disposed in the same direction as the keyhole slots on the opposite supporting frame whereby to prevent accidental detachment of the longitudinal member when the table is in use.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. 

